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With standard compression, the level of the input is used to control the compression. So, when you have loud levels on the input, the compressor works with the input signal and knocks them down, sending them to the output. Side chain compression has two inputs. One is the signal to be processed, and the other to control the compression. You hear it a lot ...

Brad's schema is correct. Additionally, using the side-chain gives you an important feature: it allows you to filter the input signal separately, before it is fed to the compressor. Using most commonly hi- & low-pass filters, you can say: I want to compress the full signal, but only when the threshold is surpassed in the range 20 Hz - 200 Hz ...

There are a few scenarios that spring immediately to mind: If the overtones (or fundamenals, really) of your guitar or bass are in the same range as a vocalist, you can use the vocal signal as the sidechain input, "ducking" those instruments out of the way during vocal passages. I tend to think this works better for more rhythmic vocals, although I don't ...

I think you are on the way to your result! But you might find that this produces a rather unnatural sound, since you are truncating the natural envelope of the human voice... and that is something we are very sensitive to. If you can control the gate to increase the release time, this will help. If it is suitable to add a little bit of reverb dedicated to ...

Yes, your theory is correct. If side chained the gate on Vocal2 will only be open when vocal1 is above the threshold gain. Explanation of side chaining: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov06/articles/sidechain.htm Setting up a side chain: http://brianboylemusic.com/2011/05/10/side-chain-compression-explained/

If you have a bass line that is closely (or exactly) mirroring the kick drum, triggering the bass compression with the much sharper attack of the kick can tighten up the line. Even if you push it to the point where it sounds unnatural, it can still be very musical. For both guitar and bass, it's fun to trigger a gate with a different signal. The last time I ...